Yes, hair continues to grow from the scalp even with split ends. However, split ends themselves do not grow; they are damage at the ends of the hair shaft. The split ends can cause breakage, making the hair appear shorter and less healthy, but the root continues its growth cycle.
Understanding Hair Growth and Split Ends
-
Hair growth originates at the scalp: New hair growth occurs at the root, within the follicle, in the scalp. Split ends are a purely cosmetic issue occurring at the hair’s end.
-
Split ends cause breakage: Split ends, while not impacting hair growth at the root, weaken the hair shaft. This leads to breakage and potentially shorter strands, making it appear as though hair growth is stunted.
-
Regular trims prevent further breakage: Trimming split ends prevents them from splitting further and breaking, maintaining the length of healthy hair. Trimming does not speed up hair growth, but keeps your hair looking longer and healthier. This is because the process removes the weakened areas, preventing further damage that could lead to more breakage and shorter strands.
-
Split ends are not a hair growth inhibitor: While split ends are undesirable, they don't stop your hair from growing; they simply cause damage to the ends already formed.
Multiple sources confirm that hair continues to grow from the roots despite the presence of split ends. The impact is purely cosmetic, with split ends causing breakage that can affect the perceived hair length and health. Regular trims are recommended to maintain the length and health of your hair despite the split ends. [^1, ^2, ^3, ^4, ^5, ^6, ^7, ^8, ^9, ^10]
[^1]: Do split ends stop hair growth? While split ends don't stop hair from growing at the root, if left untreated, the ends can break off - leaving some hair strands shorter than the rest of your hair.
